YouTube Originals has picked up nine new shows and put 25 more into development as part of its US$100-million kids content fund initiative. The new slate leans heavily on Youtube’s existing roster of native producers and creators, such as Moonbug, Pocket.watch, GoldieBlox and Guava Juice. But the AVOD platform is also test-driving first-time partnerships with BBC Studios and Blue Zoo Animation.
Kicking off this round of content investment is Super Sema (pictured) from Nairobi-based prodco Kukua. The animated series is set in a futuristic African world and will be available on the Super Sema YouTube channel starting on March 8.
Youtube is also in production on eight other series for young viewers, all of which will premiere in Q3 or Q4. Amongst them are: BookTube Jr., which will feature some of the world’s best-known children’s authors talking about their books and writing processes; The Eggventurers, an animated preschool series from popular YouTube channel GoldieBlox; and The Guava Juice Show, starring an animated version of popular YouTuber Roi Fabito.
Other new series include: Kid Correspondent from SoulPancake; animated preschool series Lottie Dottie Mini from Bromelia Productions; Blue Zoo Animation’s forest and folklore animated series Millie and Lou; an animated Supa Strikas: Rookie Season prequel from Moonbug Entertainment; and an at-home workout series from BBC Studios called The Workout Badges, which will be hosted by Hey Duggee characters and YouTuber Joe Wicks (host of The Body Coach TV).
On the development front, YouTube has announced just two of its 25 new projects: Jam Van, produced by Believe Entertainment Group and composer/producer Bill Sherman; and Tiger Aspect’s Corpse Talk, a comedy chat show featuring long-deceased guests like Amelia Earhart, Cleopatra and Frida Kahlo.
YouTube’s existing portfolio of original content already includes Onyx Family Dinner from Pocket.watch (produced in association with Shine Global), Lockdown from Sinking Ship, and Pinkfong Wonderstar from SmartStudy—the team behind Baby Shark.